MARGAO | Aug 16, 2015: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar claimed that the auctioning of mining leases in Goa would have led to unemployment as the old lessees would have laid off their entire staff, and those discharged would not have been employed by the new lessees.

He was replying to a query raised by GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro at Ravindra Bhavan on Sunday. Faleiro questioned Parsekar as to why the government did not auction the mining leases like coal mines, which could have generated more revenue.

Responding to Faleiro, Parsekar said, “The then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar took a wise decision to renew the mining leases only to avoid an increase in the number of unemployed persons. Vedanta has already started mining activities. In the next two months, I expect that all mines will resume production.”

I expect that all mines will resume production.” “In business there are always ups and downs. Mine owners should not always expect hefty profits. I know that the international prices are down. The profit margins will be low. And nobody closes down the business because of less profit margins so also the mine owners should do the business at low profit margin,” Parsekar responded when Faleiro tried to draw his attention on the low global market prices of iron ore.

(Source: http://www.heraldgoa.in/)